Multigate field-effect transistor (MuGFET) devices or fin field-effect transistor (FinFET) devices are expected to be used in the future due to the limited down-scaling capability of conventional planar or bulk CMOS technologies (CMOS: complementary metal oxide semiconductor). A fin field-effect transistor (FinFET) may be understood to mean a field-effect transistor having a fin structure. A fin structure or fin may, for example, include a ridge structure or a bridge structure, which is formed or freely suspended on a substrate. A multi-gate field effect-transistor (MuGFET) may, for example, include a field-effect transistor, in which a channel region is driven by two or more gates.
FinFET devices are typically designed for high-speed logic core applications featuring low supply voltages (e.g., 0.8 V to 1.2 V). The process development is usually focused on these standard MOSFET devices. The availability of devices beyond standard MOSFET devices and their integration into the process flow may contribute to make MuGFET or FinFET technologies interesting for, e.g., System-on-Chip (SOC) applications. Electrical fuses or electrically programmable fuses (E-fuses) are one device class that may be used here.
Programming an electrical fuse may typically be achieved by passing an electrical current of sufficient magnitude through the fuse for a sufficient period of time such that a conductive link (also referred to as a fuse link or fusible link) of the fuse is blown or ruptured, thereby increasing the resistance of the fuse. A sensing circuit may be used to sense the resistance and thus determine the state of the fuse.
E-fuses may, for example, allow for the programming of certain functions of an integrated circuit such as personalization and activation/deactivation of functional blocks.